Too Much To Bear
by granthamfan
Summary: Based on a scene that was deleted from the UK version of episode 4.05. Tom announces that he is considering taking Sybbie and moving to America? How do Cora and Robert react to the news? Contains series 4 spoilers.


**Too Much To Bear**

_A/N: None of these characters belong to me. This story does contain a few Series 4 spoilers for those who have yet to view the fourth season. This fic was inspired by a scene that was deleted from Series 4, Episode 5 in the UK, but was added to the version that aired in America. Why this was deleted from the original version I will never understand. It gives such insight. Actual dialogue from the scene is italicized. As always, I owe a debt of gratitude to SashaElizabeth, my wonderful beta._

Cora watched as her husband once again turned and walked to the other side of their bedroom. Ever since Tom had announced that he was considering taking Sybbie and moving to America, Robert had been on edge. He had remained mostly silent during dinner, but now that they were alone, his agitation was becoming more and more evident. He had been pacing the room like a caged panther for untold minutes mumbling about how it was a foolish idea for Tom and Sybbie to move across the ocean; to leave Downton. The thought of being separated from her granddaughter-her darling Sybil's daughter-by an entire ocean made her stomach twist into a knot. But, in spite of that, Cora knew that Tom had a point and endeavored to tell Robert as much.

_ "I don't know what to say to you,"_ she said wearily. _"Tom sees America as a land of opportunity and so do I." _And it was true. Though England had been Cora's home for most of her life, she knew that her granddaughter would have opportunities in America that would never become close to being possible for her in England. Cora thought of her own daughters; she thought specifically of Mary. She remembered all too well how she had fought to no avail to have Mary named as heiress to the estate and her fortune. Despite being the eldest child of an Earl, her daughter could not inherit what should have been rightfully hers. Cora knew that it would be that much harder for darling little Sybbie. Yes; Sybbie's mother had been a Lady, but her father was still the former chauffer and Cora knew that that stigma would follow her eldest grandchild for the rest of her days. As much as it pained her to admit it, maybe going to America would be for the best.

Robert turned to her, incredulity written across his face. _"Do you want him to go?"_

The implication hit Cora like a slap in the face. _"Of course not!"_ she spat at him. "_If anyone ever wanted him to go it was __**you!**__"_ She took a few deeps breaths to calm herself. Nothing would be resolved if this discussion led to an argument.

_ "Well, I don't want him to go now,"_ Robert quickly countered. He now stood in front of the fireplace, and turned to face his wife. Cora could see the desperate sadness in his eyes, and it made her heart constrict. _"I can't loose Sybil's child,"_ he said softly. _"It's too much to bear."_

Cora looked at her husband with sympathy in her eyes. She was inclined to agree. She knew that this was eating him alive, but she had to somehow make him understand Tom's reasoning. _"But, it's hard to argue,_ she said quietly. _"He wants the best for his daughter. Who can blame him for that?"_ She knew that her son-in-law only had his child's best interests in mind. It became more evident to her with each passing day why her daughter had chosen him as her husband.

_ "By the time they're grown up, George will be like Sybbie's brother. Isn't that worth something?"_ Robert was grasping at straws at this point.

Cora rolled her eyes and threw her head back in exasperation. _"The one thing you will never understand about Tom is that he's not a snob! He's less interested in that than anyone else under this roof." _She knew Robert meant well, but if he was assuming that Tom could be persuaded to stay simply because his daughter would grow up with the heir presumptive to Downton Abbey she knew he was in for great disappointment.

Robert's shoulders slouched forward slightly in defeat as he began approaching their bed. _"I only meant,"_ he said, slowly "_that if she stays, she'll always have a home here. And be loved."_

_ "Well,"_ Cora began, taking a breath to steady her emotions. _"Let's hope Tom comes to see the value in that before it's too late." _She watched as Robert nodded and took his hand in hers. "Come to bed, darling," she soothed, hoping that he had finally calmed down. He kissed the back of her hand and the inside of her wrist before releasing her hand and walking to his side of the bed. Slipping in beside her, he opened his arms to her. Cora settled into her husband's embrace, placing her arms on top of his as they wrapped securely around her waist. She drummed her fingers against Robert's forearm, contemplating how to say what she felt needed to be said without causing an almighty row. After several moments, she dared to broach the subject once more. "Robert?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Mmm?" he murmured, placing a kiss against her hair.

"Darling, I'm sorry if I spoke harshly toward you earlier. I didn't mean to become angry."

Robert sighed, pulling her tighter to him. "It's alright, my love," he answered, softly. "As much as it pains me to admit it, I do understand Tom's reasoning. And, though I'd rather hoped that you would agree with my side of the argument, I know why you said what you did."

"I do hope so," she said, turning in his arms until she was face to face with him. "Because I didn't say it to contradict you, you know. I do see America as a land of opportunity." She noticed Robert's eyebrows draw together as he pondered this statement. "Don't get me wrong," Cora continued. "I have never regretted my decision to come to England. I love it here, and I love our life together and our family. But, Tom is right. The fact that he is our former chauffer will always follow him. Things like that don't matter as much in America. Most people weren't born with a lot of money; they made their own fortunes. My father was one of them. Sybbie will have more opportunities open to her there than were available even to me."

"I understand, Cora, truly," Robert said. "But, darling, I cannot bear the thought of our granddaughter being three-and-a-half thousand miles away from us. I want her to have the best of everything. But, as I said earlier, it's just too much to bear to think of her leaving. It's all I can do to get through each day realizing that Sybil is no longer with us."

Cora swallowed hard against the lump that had quickly formed in her throat. Glancing behind her in the direction of her bedside table, her eyes came to rest on a picture of her darling Sybil. Tears threatened to overflow her eyes as she looked into the eyes of her youngest child. She reached over and took the frame in her hand, bringing it over to set it between herself and her husband. As she did this, she chanced to look at Robert and noticed the tears that flowed freely down his face. Cora reached up to wipe them away, placing a kiss to his cheek as she did so. "Oh, Robert," she whispered. "My darling, how long have you been holding all of this in?" She knew that his English nature did not allow for the open display of emotion, but she rather wished that after thirty-three years of marriage that he knew he could be completely open with her. Robert shook his head, not wanting to burden his wife. He knew that she, too, still grieved for their daughter on a daily basis. He had not wanted to add to her heartache. However, as he looked into her eyes, he knew that she wanted him to burden her; to finally open up to her about this.

"I'm sorry, my dear," he began, attempting to reign in his emotions. "I know you want me to be more open with my emotions, but I find it hard to burden you with it all."

"I'm your wife, Robert," Cora replied, once again bringing her hand up to cup his cheek, using her thumb to erase the tears that remained there. "If you can't come to me, who will you go to? It's not healthy for you keep it bottled up, my love."

"I know," he conceded, finally willing to share this with her. "Most days I'm fine. I really am. I miss her, of course, but I can get through the day. But, then there are days where everywhere I look there is something to remind me of her. Something in one of the newspapers that she would find interesting or would make her laugh. Or when the roses in the gardens begin to bloom. But, when I spend time with Sybbie, it is almost as if I have been taken back in time. She is the spitting image of her mother. Being with her gladdens my heart. It makes the pain of not having Sybil any longer a bit more bearable. That's why I absolutely cannot bear the thought of her or Tom moving anywhere, much less all the way to America."

Cora listened intently to her husband. She agreed with every word he said. Having Sybbie around did lessen the pain of no longer having their youngest daughter. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to do everything within her power to make sure that she and Tom remained at Downton. "I agree, Robert," she said after a few moments. "We should do everything we can to make sure that Tom and Sybbie stay here. He is part of this family. I know that neither of us were exactly happy when Sybil married him, but it becomes more evident every day why she chose him; at least, I can see it."

"I understand it now, too," Robert agreed. "He's a good man, and a wonderful father to little Sybbie. This estate couldn't manage without him. I'm hoping that between you and I-and with Mary's help-we can convince him to stay. I don't think we should bully him into staying. But, I believe we should help him to see how much we value him."

Cora smiled as she listened to her husband. She knew what it cost him to say the things he had just admitted to. She remembered a time in the not-so-distant past when the very mention of Tom's name was enough to set Robert's teeth on edge. He had given Tom and Sybil his blessing for his daughter's sake alone. He didn't want to run the risk of alienating his youngest child. To see that he now valued his son-in-law and truly viewed him as a member of the family made her heart swell with pride and love. Perhaps she would make a modern of him after all.

"I'm so happy to hear you say that, Robert," Cora said, smiling. "And, it would make Sybil so very happy to hear it, too."


End file.
